Greater than 136,000 folks had been tuned in to “The Pat McAfee Present” on YouTube on Tuesday morning, awaiting the looks of Inexperienced Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, who makes common appearances on McAfee’s present, created buzz Monday evening with an Instagram submit expressing gratitude to the Packers and actress Shailene Woodley, with whom he reportedly cut up after two years collectively.
The reflective submit, which included due to coaches and teammates for friendships that “will transcend our collective time on this recreation,” amped up hypothesis about Rodgers’ future with the Packers — and curiosity in his look with McAfee.
However Rodgers shortly shut down the concept he would reveal massive information at first of a 40-minute interview.
“There can be no information immediately, no choice on my future,” Rodgers stated, explaining he had simply emerged from a 12-day cleanse and nonetheless was getting his thoughts refocused on what’s forward.
Rodgers stated he was recentered after the cleanse and felt “intense gratitude for the folks in my life.” That resulted within the submit, which featured a number of photographs, together with one among large receivers Randall Cobb and Davante Adams standing with out him when Rodgers was out due to COVID-19. He posted that picture, he stated, as a result of it introduced him to tears when he noticed that they had saved an area for him whereas he was away.
“I used to be going via some previous photos from the final 12 months and felt an intense quantity of gratitude for the life that I've, for the teachings that I’ve realized and the expansion that’s occurred during the last 12 months and the folks which were part of that journey,” Rodgers stated.
After the Packers’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers final month, Rodgers stated he would spend the next weeks fascinated about what’s subsequent in his profession — whether or not or not it's persevering with with the Packers, requesting a commerce or retiring.
He stated Tuesday he had so much to unpack after that loss, however he appeared happy together with his conferences with normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur.
“I might say the conferences had been a lot totally different than they’ve been up to now, in a optimistic method,” Rodgers stated. “After which there have been some actual, trustworthy conversations that I admire.”
Rodgers talked about a number of elements he's contemplating as he weighs his choice.
He stated early within the interview that he's watching to see what occurs with Adams, who's a candidate to obtain the franchise tag. Rodgers additionally is considering his present and future well being. And he plans to have conversations about what’s subsequent together with his teammates and pals, together with new Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, who changed new Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
“Tom and I am going method again. I really like Tom,” Rodgers stated. “I owe him a lot credit score for my growth. So I’m completely happy to see him again within the recreation. The sport is best when Tom Clements is teaching as a result of he’s a type of particular coaches.”
Rodgers simply wrapped up his seventeenth NFL season, wherein he accomplished 68.9% of his passes for 4,115 yards with 37 touchdowns and 4 interceptions and earned his second straight NFL MVP award and fourth total.
Rodgers stated the enjoyment he had final offseason erased his worry of retirement.
However he additionally added this: “I really like the sport, and it’s given me so much. And I can nonetheless play.”